Perfect Prime Rib Roast - Holiday Favorite!

I hope for those of you that celebrated Christmas, it was a wonderful day shared with family and friends, and filled with lots of love and laughter.  

The holidays have always been so special to me.  It's the time to put everything else aside and spend quality time with family and those most dear to us.  Nothing is greater than that, in my book!  I do tend to feel a bit melancholy this time of year, thinking about my dad who is no longer with us and my grandmother, both of whom I treasured and played a large role in my life growing up.  But, life goes on, and although those not with us with always remain in our hearts and minds, we should be joyful of the times we had, and enjoy the days ahead with those here.

We were home for the holidays but I was so sick with food poisoning from a local restaurant.  I think I've just about resigned myself to the fact I will never eat salad out again.  Slowly recovering, I'm hopeful I'll be back to normal by next week.  I never knew I could be so sick. I feel like I'm finally on the mend!  Fortunately, my daughter came to the rescue and prepared a wonderful dinner for everyone, even though I couldn't eat much.  I was so proud of her.  I'll share her recipe next week.

New Years Eve is just 4 days away.  Maybe you're going out on the town, but if not, here's a recipe that's so simple but spectacular for a celebration, and delicious!  

What I love best is you don't have to slave over it all day.  In fact, you can prep it the day before, place in the refrigerator and take out an hour before placing in the oven, to get to room temperature.  It goes great with any kind of potato, veggie and salad, and is loved by all.  What more could you ask for?  

If you've never had Prime Rib you're in for a treat.  This recipe will make a luscious crust with a tender and moist interior.  It's so good! Just remember -  read the instructions at least 2 times so you're sure not to miss anything.  I hope you enjoy it!........

This recipe is for any size Prime Rib Roast  (figure 1/2 pound per person or more if you want leftovers). Just do your math and you'll have a perfect roast every time.

Herb Crusted Prime Rib Roast

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic

8 fresh sage leaves

4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

4 teaspoons olive oil

4 teaspoons salt, (I use kosher)

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

Prime Rib Roast - (boneless @ room temperature)

Horseradish Sauce (recipe below)

Directions:

With a food processor running, drop garlic into processor, blend until finely chopped. Add sage, thyme, oil, salt and pepper, process until paste forms.

Pat meat dry with paper towels. Rub meat all over with herb paste. Cover and chill at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated).

Approximately 1 hour prior to placing Prime Rib into the oven take beef out of the refrigerator and allow to get to room temperature - very important.

Preheat oven to 500F degrees.

Roasting time? To calculate the amount of time required for a perfectly Roasted Prime Rib, multiply the total weight of the roast by 5 minutes. 

Be accurate - the amount will be listed on your package.

Example: Roast weighs 5.42 pounds. Multiply 5.42 (pounds) by 5 (minutes) which equals = 27.10. 

This means the meat will roast for 27.10 minutes or approximately 27 minutes at 500F degrees.

After 27 minutes immediately turn oven off.

DO NOT open oven door during the next 2 hours, the roast is still cooking.

This method will cook any size prime rib roast to perfection.....Rare to medium rare, the classic way to prepare prime rib with a crispy crust.

Serve with horseradish sauce.

Horseradish Sauce

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup prepared white horseradish

Blend together and serve with Rib Roast.

This recipe is so delicious and simple. It makes perfect Prime Rib Roast every time - your family and guests will be amazed!

Enjoy!!!

Pistachio-Parmesan Cheese Straws!

If you're anything like me, when you have a big celebration meal you like to serve bread at the table, but oftentimes it's just too filling.  

So instead, what I like to do is make cheese straws. They're light and tasty, not  filling, but satisfy that bread urge.  Best of all they're simple to make.

This is how I prepare them, but feel free to change the recipe to suit your taste.  These can be prepared ahead of time and sealed up in a zip lock baggy until ready to serve. 

Place cheese straws in a glass jar or vase on the dining room table for all to indulge.

Parmesan-Pistachio Cheese Straws

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped toasted pistachios
1 tbsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 package frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

Stir the Parmesan cheese, pistachios, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a mixing bowl to blend.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each sheet of puff pastry dough until 1/8-inch thick.  Brush dough with some egg and sprinkle evenly with Pistachio-Parmesan mixture.   Then sprinkle sea salt over the entire surface.

Cut dough into 1/8-inch wide strips using a pizza wheel, and transfer strips to  prepared baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart.

Working with 1 strip at a time, twist each strip to form a spiral. (I forgot to shoot that photo with so many standing and talking to me in the kitchen. Hope this photo below gives you the idea.)

Freeze or refrigerate strips until they are very cold. 

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450F degrees.

Bake cheese straws, rotating halfway through until they are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

So simple and delicious.  Serve in place of bread or even as an appetizer.  

Perfect for the holidays!

Enjoy!!!

Peppermint Brownies!

For as long as I can remember I've been making these brownies but have yet to post them.  Why?  Well, quite frankly these are a heart attack waiting to happen - NO JOKE!!!

However, each year my family asks me to make them because they're so good.  Why shouldn't they be good with 4 1/2 sticks of butter.  You heard that right, it's no typo.  

I've avoided sharing this recipe mainly because I prefer posting healthy ones, even if occasionally, there are some not so healthy ones included.  After much debate I've decided, if my family loves these brownies so much, then why not post the recipe - you might love them too!  

These Peppermint Brownies are a family favorite that I've been making during the holidays for well over 20 years.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.  Just remember to ration them, and by all means, if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or cholesterol you may want to avoid them altogether.  Here's the recipe.......

Peppermint Brownies
24 (2-inch) squares

      Brownies

4 (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate baking squares

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup all-purpose flour

Click to see savings

Microwave chocolate and butter in a 2-quart glass bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring twice. Add sugar and eggs, stirring until blended. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Pour into a aluminum foil - lined 13- x 9-inch pan coated with non-stick spray.

Bake at 350° for 20 to 23 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour.

Click to see savings

Vanilla Cream Topping

1 cup butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar

1/4 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
5 drops red or green food coloring (optional)

      Stir together butter, sugar, half-and-half, and peppermint extract
      until smooth, then blend in food coloring, if desired.

Brownie Glaze

             4 (1-ounce) semisweet chocolate baking squares

             1/4 cup butter

Click to see savings

Microwave chocolate squares and butter in a 1-quart glass bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring twice.

Assembly

Spread cooled brownies with Vanilla Cream Topping; chill 45 minutes.  Pour Brownie Glaze over Vanilla Cream Topping, and spread evenly.  Chill 1 hour.  Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes, cut into 2-inch squares. 

Enjoy!!!

Eggplant Involtini with Rose Romano's Italian Peppers

I'm guessing that many of you reading my post today are bloggers as well.  Did you ever feel like to scream because something went wrong with your blog or you decided to add a new feature only to realize that the code entered was all wrong and you were terrified that it could mess up the layout?

This happened to me three times over a period of several weeks. For some reason I keep thinking I'm some sort of tech wizard - NOT!!!

My blogger friend Jo-Lynne of Musings of a Housewife came to my rescue.  She's an amazing woman, wife, mother, business woman and still has time for an incredible blog. I had several issues come up with my blog and each time she helped me, she's very tech savvy.  So you can imagine the gratitude I felt.  

I wanted to pay Jo-Lynne for helping me but she wouldn't hear of it.  So after practically begging her to let me pay her in some way she asked if I would like to sample one of her clients products and tell her what I thought of it.  

A couple weeks later I received a wooden box filled with All Natural Rose Romano's Italian Peppers - 2 jars of topping with Marinara and Red Bell Peppers and 2 jars of topping with Marinara and Green Bell Peppers. Along with the toppings was a beautiful brochure sharing a brief history of the Romano family with menus to create using the toppings, plus a small recipe book.  I felt like I'd received an early holiday gift - it was FANTASTIC!

I knew immediately what I wanted to make.  One of my favorite Italian dishes is Eggplant Parmesan. I've never been a fan of making it like lasagna - the typical way, cutting squares for yourself then leaving the rest exposed.  I prefer making Involtini's - little roll-ups.  Everyone can take the amount of Eggplant Involtini's that they like, and the rest can be stored for later.  

If you've never made these you're in for a treat especially topped with Rose Romano's Marinara and Italian Peppers.  It was delicious if I do say so myself. Rose Romano's Marinara and Italian Peppers are the perfect blend of peppers, tomatoes and spices.  Add it to dishes to give them more pizzaz or pour in a bowl and simply use as a dip - it's that good!

My Eggplant Involtini's would be a great dish to prepare during the holidays, for a crowd, or just your own family.  It's not difficult to make, just be sure to mise en place before assembling, then it's a breeze!

Here's the recipe........

Eggplant Involtini

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup Progresso Italian Style bread crumbs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

3 eggs, beaten

Salt and pepper

1 (15-ounce) carton ricotta cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded thin

½ cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

¼ cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 egg

1/8 teaspoon black ground pepper

1/3 cup olive oil for frying, or more as needed

Marinara Sauce (homemade or jarred) 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.  Cut stem and end from eggplant.  Peel the eggplant partially in strips, leaving some of the peel intact.  Using a mandolin or meat cutter, slice the eggplant into thin lengthwise slices, about 1/8” thick.  Let the eggplant slices soak in cool water with 1 tablespoon salt added for about 30 minutes while you prepare the other steps.

Place the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, and parsley in a shallow plate.  Beat the eggs until fluffy.

Prepare the filling by placing the ricotta, mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, parsley, egg, and pepper in a bowl.  Mix well and set aside.

Rinse the eggplant in cool water and drain.  Dip each slice in the beaten eggs and then the bread crumbs on both sides.  

Place the olive oil in a large skillet and over medium heat; fry the eggplant about 2 minutes on each side until golden.  Salt and pepper lightly as they fry.  

Drain slices on paper towels.  Add olive oil to pan as needed, and if necessary,  clean pan midway of frying.

Meanwhile, using a baking dish approximately 13" x 9" sprayed with non-stick spray, pour in 1 cup marinara sauce to cover the bottom of the dish.  Place 2 tablespoons ricotta filling on each eggplant slice, and spread gently.  Starting from the short end of the slice, roll the eggplant up jelly-roll style.  Place each roll, seam-side down, in the baking dish.  You should have approximately 15 rolls depending on the size of your eggplant.  If all of the rolls do not fit, use an additional baking dish.

Pour the remaining sauce, an additional 3-4 cups over the rolls.  Top with the Parmesan cheese.  Cover loosely with aluminum foil.  Bake approx. 30 minutes, until bubbly on the sides.  

Serve this comforting dish with a simple side salad.

Enjoy!!!

Stuffed Gingerbread Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pudding and Cream Cheese Frosting

Life has been crazy lately and I haven't had the opportunity to post as usual.  Hopefully this week I'll be able to get more than one post in - at least that's my goal.

For those of you that have been following me for a while you might remember when I posted my Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle.  Well this year for Thanksgiving I decided to use portions of that recipe only this time I made cupcakes.  

Since I wasn't serving an army of people this year I felt cupcakes would hold out better if all weren't eaten.  The trifle on the other hand doesn't look so appealing to go back to for leftovers when only a portion is eaten, so cupcakes were the perfect solution.

I made the recipe as described here for the Gingerbread Cake except, I poured the batter into a large 6 cup muffin tin, unlined, but sprayed with non-stick spray.

Then I made the recipe for the Pumpkin Pudding only dividing the recipe in 1/2 as follows:

Pumpkin Pudding:

1 box vanilla instant pudding (3 1/8 oz size)
1/2 (15 oz) can pumpkin pie filling
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp pure vanilla

Prepare vanilla pudding according to package instructions.

Combine pudding with the pumpkin pie filling. Fold in brown sugar and spices. Cover and chill.  

After cupcakes have come out of the oven and cooled, poke a large hole in the center of each cupcake using the stick of a round wooden spoon or similar (only poke hole 3/4 of the way into the cupcake).

Place pudding into a pastry bag or zip lock baggy and snip bottom or corner and squeeze pudding into cupcake hole until fills to the top.  Level off, then spread with cream cheese frosting.  (See recipe)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

12 ounces cream cheese, softened 

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar 

3/4 cup powdered sugar
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter,
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Beat cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla. 

In another bowl whisk cream and 3/4 cup powdered sugar to firm peaks. Fold in cream cheese mixture. Chill 1 hour or until firm but spreadable. Spread or pipe onto cupcakes.  If desired top with crush gingersnaps, candied ginger, ginger sugar or simply leave with the luscious flavor of the cream cheese icing.

Enjoy!

Korean Pear Tartlet with Pear Liqueur & Baked Pears with Ice Cream and Balsamic Reduction!

I love what I do and feel so fortunate when companies send me products to try.  Melissa's sent me a beautiful box of Korean Pears each one individually wrapped and just ripe for eating.

Of course, when I received them the first thing I did was take a bite of these luscious orbs - they were so sweet and crisp with an airy texture inside.  Very different from the typical pear I've eaten before and equally as delicious if not better.  

After devouring one of them I started thinking of ways to cook with it.  In the midst of the holidays my thoughts were all for sweet delights - I'm a sucker for desserts.  I came up with two wonderful desserts that I know you'll love: Korean Pear Tartlets with Pear Liqueur and Baked Pears with Vanilla Ice Cream, Balsamic Reduction and crumbled Candied Pecans. 

I have to tell you - when I went to add the candied pecans to the top of the baked pears they were nowhere to be found.  I'm quite certain my husband was the culprit.  I knew I should have hidden them better, he knows most of my hiding spots now and my candied pecans just don't stick around too long.

I think you'll love both of these desserts and if you don't feel like using the phyllo dough for the tartlets then simply make the pear filling and serve it warm over vanilla ice cream.  It's sure to bring smiles to everyone.

Both desserts will make a nice addition to your holiday menu!

To find out where Melissa's products are sold near, you check out this link and scroll to the bottom left of the page.

Once you locate these delicious Korean Pears I hope you'll try the recipes below........

Korean Pear Tartlets with Pear Liqueur

serves 6

Pear filling:

1/3 cup Pear Liqueur

1/2 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 Korean Pears, peeled, cored and sliced into thin wedges

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Phyllo cups:

6 pre-made phyllo sheets

non-stick spray (or melted butter if preferred)

1 cup fine cake crumbs (angel food cake or pound cake ground in processor)

Make the filling:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the Pear Liqueur to a simmer.  Remove from heat and add Craisins.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat, and melt the butter.  

Add the pear slices and cover with sugar.  Don't stir or shake right away; let the sugar caramelize, approximately 3-5 minutes.

Gently toss the sugar and pears.  Add the Craisins and their liquid and increase to high heat. Let the mixture boil until the liqueur has evaporated.  Remove pan from heat and stir in the pecans and cinnamon.  

With a slotted spoon, transfer the apples to a bowl until ready to assemble the tartlets.

Make the phyllo cups:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325F degrees.  Lightly spray the bottom and sides of 6 ramekins or large muffin cups.

Place a piece of parchment on a work surface.  Arrange the 6 phyllo sheets in a stack on top of the paper.  Cut the stack in 1/2  then in thirds so you have 6 equal squares per sheet.  Keep the stack covered with a damp paper towel while you work, since the dough dries out quickly.

Remove one phyllo square from the stack and carefully place into one of the prepared ramekins or muffin cups.  Lightly spray each with non-stick spray or lightly brush with butter and sprinkle with cake crumbs.  (I love using the non-stick spray since it's easy and doesn't cause tearing.  However, butter will give a richer flavor if you prefer but is more difficult to apply without tearing the phyllo).  Place the second phyllo square on top and perpendicular to the first one, spraying or buttering lightly and dust with cake crumbs.  Continue each cup in same order until 6 squares have been used.  Form the remaining 5 cups using the remaining phyllo squares.

Assemble the phyllo cups:

Spoon a generous portion of the pear filling into each phyllo cup.  Bake the phyllo cups 10-15 minutes until crisp and golden brown.

Serve:

Place each cup on a plate while still warm.  If desired garnish with whipped cream and cinnamon. 

Baked Pears with Vanilla Ice Cream and Balsamic Reduction

serves 4

Ingredients:

4 pears,  cut in half seeds removed

¼ cup sugar 

4 Tablespoons butter, softened

Candied Pecans, crumbled

Vanilla Ice Cream

Balsamic Reduction* 

Instructions:

Cut pears in half and remove seeds.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with heavy duty foil and brush butter over the cut surface of each pear.  Sprinkle sugar in an even layer over the same surface.  The butter will help keep the sugar on the fruit. 

Turn broiler on in oven and cook on lowest rack until the butter and sugar caramelize and the pear starts to become tender, about 10-12 minutes.    Set aside.

To serve, place halves of pear into individual serving bowls.  Place a scoop of ice cream or yogurt on top of the pear. Drizzle with a balsamic reduction* then sprinkle with crushed candied pecans.

*Note: Reduce a cup of inexpensive balsamic vinegar by half in a small nonreactive saucepan.  Set aside to cool.  Drizzle on or around the pear just before serving.

If preferred, bake the pear covered in a 375 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes, then uncover for an additional 20 minutes or until the pear becomes softened.

Please note that the baked pears do not have the candied pecans on them.  Someone in my house gobbled them up while I wasn't looking!

I hope you try these recipes and enjoy them as much as my family has.  Don't forget to check for Melissa's products next time at the grocery store.